Dawn's Badge
by thrilllover39
Summary: Ash's son Aedan needs his eighth gym badge before being eligible to compete in the pokemon league, and while there are plenty of gyms to go to, there is only one he wishes to challenge, a gym run by Ash's old rival now turned friend, Paul. It is the regions strongest gym and only a handful of trainers walk out with a badge in hand, but what is the story behind the gym's badge?


**Hey guys! Just a short story involving Paul, Ash's son, and how the gym Paul runs came to be, so enjoy!**

 _ **"There was a time when I would call her troublesome, but nothing was ever troublesome about her, she was perfect. Hair as blue as deep depths of the sea, eyes that resembled Kyogre's blue orb, and a smile worth a million of diancie's diamonds, indeed she was perfection, and the one I loved".**_

"Uncle"! He was brought out of his thoughts, staring blankly at the young boy who stormed into the gym, he was the spitting image of his father, or so he used to call, the pathetic weakling.

His smile was the just same, and while he had the untamed raven hair and those two mysterious marks on his cheeks, which by the way no one has yet to find out what they really are, the only difference between this boy and his father was his eyes, which he got from his mother, pure royal blue, a factor that stood out incredibly with the help of his midnight locks.

"I challenge you to a battle"! Shouted the young trainer, holding his pokeball out while simultaneously turning his hat back.

Again, he was unfazed by the boy's ferocious and determined nature, but it did bring back a lot of memories of his rivalry with the kid's father, "Have you defeated all seven gyms"?

"I did! Look"! He shouted, whipping open his jacket to reveal the seven badges from his allies gyms pinned on him

"Aedan, are you sure you want this? Only a handful of trainers come to my gym and not even half of them walk out of here with a badge, there are other capable gym leaders still out there who you can earn your eighth badge from".

The young boy scoffed, "My dad told me the same thing, I know how strong you are uncle Paul, you were once champion of the Sinnoh region, then you took over Unova's league and now you've come back to Sinnoh to run your own gym, but if there's one thing my dad also told me, it's to never settle for anything less, and you're the best, so I want to fight you".

"Very well, but just because you're father and I are friends doesn't mean I will go easy on you". He reached into his belt, throwing out a pokeball which summoned his first pokemon.

"Good, I don't want you to"! He threw his as well, coming to be surprised by Paul's choice of a pokemon.

"A loppuny? I don't remember you having one, and I've watched all of your battles"! He felt a bit of panic start to grow within, normally he wouldn't be scared of a loppuny, but this one seemed different, it looked incredibly strong and disciplined, but also he noticed something, this loppuny wore an orange vest, something he'd never seen a pokemon do.

"What are you waiting for"? Exclaimed Paul, allowing for his challenger to take the first hit.

"Hmph". He was intimidated, but he wasn't going to let it get to him, he clenched his hand down and shot the other forward, commanding his charizard to attack.

 **(Moment's later)**

"I can't believe I lost…...I studied all of his videos and tried figuring out the pattern of his battling, but then he calls out these pokemon whom I never expected for him to have, that Loppuny was crazy powerful! What am I going to do, dad"? He held the phone up to his head, frowning as his father laughed, his wide grin flashing through the video call.

"Aedan, did I ever tell you how your uncle Paul came to opening his own gym"? His son shook his head.

"Before you were born, your uncle Paul was married-"

"Him?! But he's mean and always cold to people"!

Ash laughed again, "Yeah, but there was one person who could always turn him soft, his wife, her name was Dawn, and she was Sinnoh's best coordinator, a master at the arts of performance who went on to join the hall of fame for coordinators along with big names like Wallace, your Uncle Drew and Aunt May, as well as your Aunty Serena, she was the best in the region and people came from all over the world just to see her and her pokemon perform".

He didn't know of her, but the way his father talked, and by the look on his face, this woman was incredible, "W-well…...what happened to her".

It was then that he noticed how his father's expression became grim, almost sorrowful, it was the voidless look in his eyes that meant what was coming next was nothing good, "When you turned 5, she passed away, your uncle and her tried having a baby, when they finally achieved it, she lost it just a few months later, the strain was too much on her body and she had given in, shortly after she passed away too".

"Poor uncle…...I…..I can only think of how much he must miss her".

His father nodded, "He does…..everyday, and that's why he opened up this gym, shortly before Aunt Dawn passed away, she talked about furthering her career and had plans to open her own gym, but she never got to it, so instead, Paul fulfilled her dream and named the gym's badge after her, the Dawn badge, the pokemon he uses in that gym for battles all belonged to her".

It all made sense now, "No wonder that Loppuny looked graceful while battling".

"His gym is noted as the strongest in the region because while Dawn taught her pokemon about grace and agility, he trained them to develop power, endurance, and strength, those pokemon are deadly, and also why many trainers have failed to earn the prestigious Dawn badge".

"I don't know if I can beat him now". Frowned Aedan.

"Son, I lost to Paul more than three times back in my day, but every time I grew stronger and grew even more determined to beat him, don't let one loss stop you, after all, Paul is a former champion, you shouldn't expect to win on your first try, it's also about learning and training constantly to develop a special strength between you and your pokemon, your Aunt Dawn, she wasn't exactly an expert when she started off, she kept losing contest after contest, and when things got hard, she just kept moving forward and worked even harder, she never gave up, and look where she got, she became a master, don't give up, just keep moving forward".

"You're right, thanks dad". He felt relieved, his father's words were true to the core, he shouldn't expect to win right away, which is why he just needed to go back and keep challenging Paul and study what went wrong each time.

"Anytime son, now I have to get back, my challenger is here, say hi to Paul for me".

"I will, and good luck dad, don't go easy on them".

His father laughed, "What kind of champion would I be if I didn't"?

The call ended, he made his way out of the pokemon center and stopped, letting himself catch a breath of fresh air before taking off to the gym.

"Paul"! He charged in through the door, finding the leader to be feeding all his pokemon.

He didn't say anything, but rather instead waited for the young boy to catch his breath, "I want a rematch"!

"Are you sure about that"? He asked unfazed.

"Yes! And no matter how many times it takes! I will get that badge"!

"Are you an idiot like your father as well? Or did you just hit your head". He called in all of his pokemon, placing their pokeballs on the stand beside him.

He shook his head, "No, I want this, your wife, Aunt Dawn, she represents this gym and that badge, she never had an easy road to victory, she kept fighting and worked hard for her title as the best, and that's what I want, I don't want the easy road, I want the victory road, earning this badge, no matter how many times it takes, means that I put my heart and soul into my pokemon and my work, this badge decides whether or not I go to the pokemon league, this is my final test before taking a giant leap into my future, so no need to worry, I'm not stupid, just determined".

There was a short moment of silence, nostalgia hit Paul hard when he heard those five words, a phrase his wife always used to say, this boy…..he was different, and he knew it, "You're the spitting image of your father, inside and out, but it seems you pick up a lot of small traits from the people who influenced your life, alright kid, I'll give you you're rematch".

 **(Weeks later)**

He crossed his arms, smirking down at Aedan who returned a grin of his own, "5 tries…..that's the most someone has ever rematched me".

"Sixth time's a charm". Chuckled the young trainer, feeling suddenly overwhelmed inside, it was sadness, but not because of how many times he had to fight Paul, but because of his time ending, he had finally won, he was finally getting the badge, so now it was time for him to leave.

"I opened this gym in memory of my wife….but I purposely made it difficult for trainers to defeat because I knew of Dawn's struggle to getting to the top, and that's what I wanted trainers to do, it's as you said, there are two roads to the top, and you want the victory road, but which road you choose determines what type of trainer you will become, Dawn became the best in the region, her badge represents who will become extraordinary as well, those who defeat me don't want easy, they want a challenge, they will be the true leaders of our world, they will be worth keeping an eye out for, today you proved to me that you have a bright future ahead of you, and I will be looking forward to the day when I see you get crowned as champion".

"Do you really think I'll become champion one day"? He asked slightly stunned by Paul's words.

"I do, I also believe that one day you'll be able to defeat your own father in the arena, after all, I did, and if you were able to beat me, you'll have no problem". His smirk deepened onto Aedan who chuckled.

"Thank you, uncle Paul, now…...now I can start training for the pokemon league". He felt something weigh in on his head, he looked up to find Paul's hand.

"You already have, since the moment you came into my gym, all the work you put into trying to defeat me will also help you in the league…..here".

He held out his hand to Aedan, revealing the badge of his gym, it was magnificent to say the least, it was more beautiful than all of the other badges put together, pure steel shaped like a crescent moon with a four pointed star made entirely out of a diamond, no doubt this must have been an expensive badge.

"It is expensive if you're wondering….." he swore this man could read minds.

"...Dawn loved diamonds and pearls, I chose for the diamond because they last forever, and that's exactly how she should be remembered, forever".

He hesitated in grabbing it at first, it looked too prestigious for his dirt covered hands to touch, but it was now his, he had to bask in the glory, "Thank you".

His eyes kept settling down on the badge, he had a long emotional goodbye with Paul who of course like always, showed no emotions, but he knew it wasn't the last he was going to see of him, he would be back, and the next time he would, he would be champion.

His words quietly mellowed out, "I got me a Dawn badge". He couldn't help but smile and feel giddy inside, he finally got it.

"How long"? Growled the boy throwing his head in frustration.

He looked up from his badge, finding himself crossing paths with two random trainers, they were heading opposite of him, though he could clearly hear their conversation.

His partner sighed while rolling her eyes, being annoyed by his whining, "We should be arriving to the Platinum Gym any time soon, relax".

Her friend took in a deep breath, shooting his fist up in the air, "It's the hardest gym in the region, but the way my streak has been going, this should be an easy and quick win".

The girl sighed once more, seeming unsure about her friend's confidence, "I don't know, the gym leader is former champion Paul Shinji, he's not going to be some random gym leader, the guy is super powerful so I think you need to start figuring out a strategy plan".

He waved off her advice, laughing out loud, "That Dawn badge will be mine".

Aedan shook his head, stifling a chuckle quietly to himself while still having his back to the trainers, getting further and further away down the road, "If only they knew what's waiting for them".

 **Ok! So there you have it, It was just a short story I thought up of around midnight when I woke up from a long nap, I fell asleep around noon lol So yeah, I really liked how it came out, simple but i think descriptive, what did you guys think? Let me know what you thought! Until then!**


End file.
